Erasing-shield.



No. 742,445. PATEN'IED 001:. 27, 1903 J. M. KEEP.

ERASING. SHIELD.

APPLICATION FILED MAR. 9, 1803. N0 MODEL.

Z DIIHIIHIHHIIIIIIHHIHIII HIIII WITNESSES: uv'vslvrofi UNITED STATES Patented October 27, 1903.

JAMES M. KEEP, OF NEW YORK, N. Y.

ERASlNG-SHIELD.

SPECIFICATION forming part Of Letters Patent N0. 742,445, dated October 27, 1903. Application filed March 9, 1903. Serial No. 146,814. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, JAMES M. KEEP, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of New York, in the county of New York and State of New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Erasing-Shields,of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to improvements in erasing-shields, a well-known device used by type-writers, draftsmen, artists, and others for shielding adjacent words, letters, or marks of any kind when erasing imperfections or errors from a printed or written sheet. As usually made they consist of a flat smooth thin sheet of metal of suitable size perforated with holes of various shapes and sizes. Thus formed in practice they lie flat upon the surface of the paper, and being without means to confine them in position by the friction of the eraser they often slipf'thereby causing damage, vexation, and delay. Furthermore, being of very thin sheet metal they lie adhesively to the paper, which makes it difficult to pick them up or remove them to other positions. My invention obviates these objections in the following novel manner, which consists in throwing down upon the under side of the plate around each hole a very slight projection, which may be appropriately called a bur, to create a friction and in turning up in a particular manner the edges of the plate to provide means to facilitate removing and adjusting the shield and for other purposes hereinafter explained, reference being had to the accompanying drawings,of which- Figure l is a plan View of my shield. Fig.

2 is a cross-section on line X X, Fig. 1; Fig. 3, reverse side, showing projecting burs by dark shading around erasing-holes. Fig. 4 shows practical use of raised edge; Fig. 5, broken section of shield with scalloped edge; Fig. 6, broken section of shield with serrated edge.

Like letters refer to like parts, as A, shield; B, erasing-holes; P, projections or bur around holes; R, raised edge of shield; O, crimp on edge; S, scalloped edge; T, serrated edge; L, clipped corner.

I construct my improved erasing-shield of thin sheet-brass or aluminium of sufficient hardness to give it a springy consistence to avoid the shield becoming misshapen by use.

Other material may be adopted, if desired.

I first out the material into blanks with dies or shears, preferably of rectangular shape, with the corners clipped, (see Fig. 1,) for the purpose hereinafter explained. I then with a drop or lever press and with suitable die form up the edges about one-eighth or threesixteenths of an inch high with an ogee flare and at the same time crimp the edges. These operations complete the body ready to be perforated. This I do with a punch and die having the number and shape of holes desired. The cutting edges of the holes in the die are very slightly beveled all around and in the act of perforating the material will be forced down below the bevel before cutting takes place, thus leaving a bur around the under side of the opening corresponding to the depth of the bevel. Now the shield is ready for the final finish, such as polishing, nickeling, &c.

The shield being constructed as described, the novelty and practical application of my invention is obvious. The turned-up edges provide means by which to easily grasp with the thumb and finger the shield to pick it up or to remove it to other positions on the paper and steady it when in use. (See Fig. 4.) The slight bur around the holes on the under side when under pressure of the eraser creates a friction with the paper sufficient to resist the influence of the eraser, thereby holding the shield in position and preventing accidents and imperfect erasure.

The corners of the shield are clipped and left open (see L, Fig. 1) that the flat or middle portion thereof may be somewhat flexible to accommodate any slight unevenness of the paper. Theupturned flange'may be headed or crimped, which st-idens the body and prevents the shield from being bent by carelessness or by accident, which often occurs with other shields, rendering them worthless; besides, it insures a firm hold with but little eifort, and as a type-writers fingers are often soiled the upturned edge prevents their coming in contact with and soiling the paper. This advantage certainly will be appreciated, as with shields that lie flat upon the paper in the effort to pick them up or remove them the soiled fingers come in contact with the paper.

As the use and application of erasingshields is common and well understood, I deem a detailed explanation thereof unnecessary.

Having shown and fully described my invention, what I claim, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

1. An erasing-shield composed of sheet metal, preferably rectangular, and having its body portion pierced with suitable erasingopenings and its edges turned upward and outward to form a projecting rim on either side or around said body, substantially as and for the purpose shown and described.

2. An erasing-shield composed of sheet metal, preferably rectangular, having its edges turned upward and outward to form a rim around said shield and having its central portion pierced with erasing-holes and the said rim crimped, scalloped, serrated or of March, A. D. 1903.

JAMES M. KEEP. Witnesses:

ALBERT W. GIBBS, ROBT. W. ASHLEY. 

